Xang Muang is a primarily wiki-based micronation, which claims land on the Micrasian continent of Keltia. The nation was founded in May 2016 and is styled on a generalised south-east Asian culture, with influences drawn from the former micronations of Chi Nam, Kampong and Mailong.

Etymology

Xang Muang's name originates from two words in the Lao language; ຊ້າງ /saːŋ˥˦/ (transcribed as xang, meaning "elephant") and ເມືອງ /mɯaŋ˦˥/ (muang, "country"). While the inclusion of muang in Xang Muang is intended to be the long form of the nation's name, both the Xangese government and other sources refer to it in this form the vast majority of the time. The native language of the name of Xang Muang is tonal, and its traditional pronunciation of /saːŋ˥˦ mɯaŋ˦˥/ reflects this. However, outside of the nation itself, the most common pronunciation of its name is /ʃæŋ muːæŋ/.

History

Xang Muang's history can be separated into two distinct categories; that of its people and of its land. While there is considerable historical correlation between the Xang people and the land to which Xang Muang lays claim, its people have ethnic origins from a number of other Keltian regions, while its land has received influence from previously being claimed by nations with a notably different culture base.

Early history

The history of Xang Muang's land can be traced back to approximately 900 ASC, where it appears on the second-oldest known map of Micras under the control of Attera. The expansive Atteran Empire held a lengthy claim over this land until the 1300s ASC, when it fell. In the subsequent years, the land witnessed the foundation of the Madland and was claimed by its empire until the mid-1700s ASC before the secession of Mayo covering the peninsula and surrounding areas. Mayo's existence lasted approximately 600 ASC years before its demise in the mid-2300s ASC.

Following Mayo's withdrawal from claiming the region, the first cultural ties to the modern-day Xang Muang could be observed, with the Vietnamese-influenced Chi Nam being founded on the southern tip of the peninsula and the island to the south; the area claimed today by Calbion's Y Dwyrain territory. In the late 2400s ASC, Chi Nam was annexed by Nova England, becoming a self-governing territory, and the northern region of the peninsula was claimed by Interlux.

While Interlux failed as a state before the mid-2500s, Chi Nam changed hands to be controlled by New Brittania and extended its influence further north in the 2670s ASC. For almost 150 ASC years, between 2706 ASC and 2851 ASC, the now-Xangese land was entirely uncontrolled while New Brittania underwent its Númenor era of governing. In 2884 ASC, New Brittania expanded its land to cover the entire peninsula, with the subdivision of Brittanic New Canton also having influence from a rough south-east Asian culture. Political changes in New Brittania saw a shift in regional government in 2990 ASC, and the northern reaches of the peninsula came under Guwahati; a region with another amount of shared culture.

New Brittania and its territories held claim and influence over the land for more than 270 ASC years before becoming unclaimed once more from 3123 ASC. Following this, the island of New South Vietnam was claimed by Craitland from 3129 ASC to 3312 ASC, with its Vietnamese culture protected, before being annexed by the Britannic Empire. During this time, between 3210 ASC and 3300 ASC, the Osclandish kingdom lay claim to the mainland peninsula. In 3403 ASC, the Britannic Empire withdrew from the island of New South Vietnam, bringing an end to its guaranteed cultural conservation after at least 750 ASC years combined. However, for a period between 3466 ASC and 3578 ASC, the island was claimed as the Hammish dependency of Ségon, which maintained a small preservation of the precursory culture.

Over 270 ASC years passed after Hammish presence in the region was abolished in which the land remained unofficially controlled. From 3851 ASC until 3971 ASC, the majority of the land which is now governed by Xang Muang was claimed by the Virtual Commonwealth of Cyberia, which brought about the influence of the Mala'anje. Although Cyberia collapsed, the Mala'anje remained in certain pockets of the region under the auspices of Ashkenatza, and governed as the collective Mala'eretz territory. Ashkenatzi power extended to a contiguous Mala'eretz in 4075 ASC, and the northern reaches of the current Xangese land were claimed by A1's government in 4140 ASC.

This period in time represented one of the most politically consistent in the region's history, with A1 and Ashkenatza's combined claims over the land being maintained for a length of 643 ASC years until A1's demise in 4783 ASC. Ashkenatza's claim over the Mala'eretz continued until 5182 ASC; just shy of another 400 ASC years, until it too was declared dead by its authorities. From 4860 ASC until this time, the southerly island was governed as Wansun, which was explicitly influenced by Chinese culture.

Once again, the region became ungoverned by any recognised nations for a considerable period lasting 546 ASC years until the Brettish Isles founded its territory of the Brettish Orient in 5728 ASC. Inspired by the Asian-influenced nations historically in the area, the Brettish Orient underwent a cultural assimilation and its borders mirrored the former Chi Nam's. In 5861 ASC, the territory changed hands to be controlled by Calbion under the name of Y Dwyrain (lit. "the east" in Calraeg).

Calbion's claim to the southern reaches of the region has been indisputably sustained until the present day. Since then, Xang Muang has been founded in 6133 ASC and has asserted unofficial control over its land from that point onward.

Foundation

Xang Muang's history as a state began in 6133 ASC after its foundation following the ascension of U Kham to the position of Khon and the unification of the different tribes which had migrated to the area.

The tribes which now make-up the Xang can trace their lineage back to migrants from a number of regions across Keltia, although primarily originate from the eastern region commonly referred to as Micrasia. The name Micrasia is a portmanteau of the name of the planet Micras and the Earth's continent of Asia, due to the ties between the region's former nations and their cultural influences, and was first coined by then-Taesongese president Jang Ji-Hyo in 2636 ASC. Between 2555 ASC and 2616 ASC, the vast majority of this region was claimed by the Chinese-themed Xinguo, Korean-themed Taesong and Cambodian-themed Kampong; a time which enforced the region's claim to being Micras' equivalent to Asia. In the years prior, the southern reaches of the area, just to the north of the mouth of the Strait of Haifa, were claimed by Talamthom through its Tománn Indo-China territory, which itself was also influenced by the culture of south-eastern Asia. Between 4776 ASC and 5119 ASC, the island of Terra Ceta, also once claimed by Kampong, to the south of the mainland region was home to Mailong; a nation founded by Kampongese and Xinguoese migrants before political instability and emigration caused its demise.

Since Mailong's collapse, a considerable number of ethnic Kampongese migrated to the peninsula now claimed by Xang Muang and were joined by people forming rudimentary tribal structures from other former nations with similar heritage including Chi Nam, Eesha, Indokistan and minority communities from Xinguo. The migration of these peoples, coupled with the peninsula's existing populations of former-Brittanic New Cantonese and Mala'anje, has since formed a more complex demographic map of the region.

In the years leading to Xang Muang's creation in 6133 ASC, the continued interaction between the region's tribes led to both societal and economic growth. This development was the primary attribute in the organisation of the tribes' leaders to make common cause for a unified people on the peninsula. After numerous meetings among tribes' leaders and a lengthy process by which to find compromises for the political and governmental procedures for a greater nation, an agreement was codified. This agreement established the state's name; alluding to the endemic fauna of the region, and the position of Khon; a leader akin to a king, and installed the leader of the most populous tribe, U Kham, as the inaugural Khon.

Xang Muang's claims were recognised by the Micronational Cartography Society in 6317 ASC, and the organisation's version 15.8.7 map update in 6330 ASC was the first to portray Xangese sovereignty over its land.

International involvement

Civil war and dissolution

Geography

Xang Muang's terrain.

Lowland areas

Highland areas

Xang Muang's climate.

Tropical savanna climate

Tropical monsoon climate

Xang Muang is situated on a broad peninsula in the south-west of Keltia, lying approximately between latitudes 12° and 25°N and longitudes 115° and 125°E. To its east is a long coastline on the Eastern Ocean, with a wide channel of water leading from Lake Cherusken to the west of the peninsula. To the south of Xang Muang's land is the peninsula's tip and the island of New South Vietnam, and the northern limit of the nation borders mainland Keltia. Xang Muang's land is primarily low-lying, albeit with hilly scenery, though there is an upland area in the centre of the nation which covers roughly a quarter of its territory and extends beyond the northerly border.

Administrative divisions

Xang Muang is divided into five subdivisions called provinces (Lao: ແຂວງ /kʰwɛ̌ːŋ/ khoeng). There are currently no further official subdivisions, and the nation's capital, Xang Khon, has no designated separate province or administrative district.

Government and politics

Xang Muang's political landscape is unusual in comparison to others on Micras. Its form of government was created as a compromise among the nation's founding tribal groups, which had their own respective hierarchies and leadership positions. The Xangese system combines both a parliamentary system and a monarchic head of state, known as the Khon.

Khon

The Khon (Lao: ຄົນ /kʰon˦˥/; lit. "man") is the head of state of Xang Muang. The Khon is an elected monarch, who is elected for life by the Xangese parliament upon the death of the previous Khon. The current, and first, Khon is U Kham, who was elected to the position upon the foundation of Xang Muang.

Foreign relations

As a founding member, since 6414 ASC, Xang Muang has been a full member of the USSO; a primarily military-based grouping of nations. As part of its USSO membership, Xang Muang has supplied armed support in both the Hammish Civil War and War of Lost Brothers. The Xangese politician Tuân Quân was unanimously elected as the USSO's first Chairman, and held the role between 6416 ASC and 6548 ASC.

Xang Muang is not currently engaged in any diplomatic relations with any other nations, but is mutually recognised as a member of the Micronational Cartography Society by its associates.

Economy

Agriculture is Xang Muang's primary source of employment, with the majority of the population being part of self-sufficient communities. The most common crop farmed in Xang Muang is rice, with wheat, tea and sugar also grown in notable amounts. Livestock agriculture is also common in the nation, for both milk and meat, with oxen most farmed. Both regions of coast in Xang Muang see extensive fishing, which is also most frequently done for community subsistence.

The northern reaches of the Khoeng Loek province have an abundance of coal deposits, which have recently begun to be mined in an attempt to generate an export fuel economy for the nation. In addition, hydroelectricity is harnessed in both small- and large-scale operations along the channel from Lake Cherusken to generate much of the nation's power.

Tourism

Tourism is a growing industry in Xang Muang since its foundation brought further political stability to the region. The nation's scenic geography is a draw for foreign tourists, with popular destinations on both of the peninsula's coastlines and the protected rainforest area in Khoeng Sunkang province is a site for ecotourism. Xang Muang's Buddhist temples and shrines see an amount of religious pilgrimages in addition to general tourism.

Culture

Cuisine

Xangese food is fundamentally composed of healthy ingredients, with traditional elements including lemongrass, ginger and soybeans. Due to its scarce availability, meat is considered a delicacy and often only eaten at times of celebration, with bovine meat most common. Fish, however, is widely consumed due to the nation's position of being mostly bordered by sea, and fish derivatives such as fish sauce are staples to a number of dishes. Rice is considered the Xangese national food, being cultivated throughout the nation, with a wide range contributing to a variety of usage in meals.

Tea is a popular drink, with its preparation and serving used as important social bonding exercises as well as for its health benefits. The energy drink Xang Siaedng, a popular export, was created from traditional tribal drinks made from herbal extracts.

Music

Sport

Xang Muang's national sport is an unarmed martial art similar to kickboxing called Muay Xang. The sport has no governing body and rules are not universally codified, leading to a number of variant forms throughout the nation for both professional and amateur fighters. Generally speaking, rules are set for competitions depending on locale or agreed upon for contests on an individual basis by the competitors. Therefore, there is no active national championships nor sole pinnacle title belt.

The most popular team sport in Xang Muang is ka-taw (Lao: ກະຕໍ້ /ka˦˥ tɔː˥˦/); a three-a-side version of volleyball in which players primarily use their feet to touch the ball rather than the hands. Ka-taw is played with a small ball made of woven rattan and national championships are held annually with teams representing Xang Muang's five provinces.